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The Government of Moldova is preparing the country’s exit from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), an organization created by Russia to keep the former Soviet countries in its sphere of influence, reports the Moldovan press.
At the CIS summit on December 26-27 in St. Petersburg, no representative from Moldova attended and the country’s flag was already missing, according to the Moldovan press. According to the newspaper Vocea Basarabiei, pro-Kremlin media and pro-Russia politicians in Moldova argue that the country cannot survive economically without the CIS and Russia, but the government disagrees.
Immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February this year, the pro-European authorities in Chisinau limited participation in events organized in the CIS, and after Moldova became a candidate for EU membership, the Foreign Minister , Nicu Popescu, announced the suspension of the country’s participation in the CIS.
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The CIS summit brought together leaders from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was the only one at the summit who openly supported the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, thus allowing the use of its territory by Russian troops. In addition to accelerating their bilateral integration, Minsk and Moscow formed a joint military grouping and also created a common front against the “threat” from NATO.
Kazakh leader Kasim-Yomart Tokayev requested Russia’s help last January to crush a violent uprising, but publicly denied recognize the Russian annexation of four Ukrainian regions.
The CIS – which was created to formalize the “civilized divorce” between 12 Soviet republics and whose founding documents were signed on December 21, 1991 – lost to Moldova Ukraine and Georgia as members. Also today, after the most recent Russian attacks on Ukraine, Moldovan President Maia Sandu told local press that she “strongly condemns these barbaric and unprovoked actions that aim to bring destruction and death.”
Prime Minister Natalia Gravilita also said on social media that she was “deeply saddened and outraged by the Russian missile attacks against Ukraine that took place today.”
Source: Observadora
